Missouri's first ever official elk hunt begins this weekend, and several of the five lucky hunters who drew a $50 permit are hoping they'll be the first to take one with a bow.
The elk archery season runs Oct. 17-25, followed by a firearms season Dec. 12-20.
The chance to hunt an elk in Missouri — where they once were native before being wiped out in the late 1800s — is a testament to the Missouri Department of Conservation's effort to bring them back to their natural habitat in south-central Missouri.
"They seem pretty happy down there," said Eugene Guilkey, of Liberty, Missouri, who said he has never hunted elk before.